Falling Together
by aquajogger
Summary: College life can be a hassle: challenging classes, cramped dorm rooms, a distinct lack of coffee. And when your two blissfully dating roomates decide to set you up with a friend of their partners'... What's a cash strapped student to do?
1. Falling

Falling Together

Because, even though I didn't want to start anything else as I've already got too much on my plate, this idea saw me walking down the street and tackled me to the ground(it hurt).

Besides...

I haven't seen this idea before. And it will make use of not yet another dream, but one of those sudden mental images that floated through my mind right before I fell asleep. I wanted to use it somewhere. And the stunningly clear fanart-esque mind-picture I got today looks like the best place to do so. n-n;

:n:

Disclaimer: Think about it... Seriously?

Warnings: Swearing, mentions of sex, AU, semi-schoolfic.

I really can't tell what this should be rated. Since there's no actual sex scenes, just mentions of "the deed", and I'm not letting myself go all out on the language, I'm going to keep it at PG-13... Or whatever the fanfiction equivalent is. :sweatdrop:

:n:

"Rath!" There was the sticky click of a jammed lock finally giving in to its key, and a whitewashed door flew open, slamming the already dented wall.

"Rath!" The voice called again, a tinge of annoyance attaching itself to the familiar name. "Rath, I got out of class and I want to sleep," it continued pleadingly, "And if you're doing Cesia, I want to know so I can pass out in the hallway instead."

"No threats of gorging out your retinas this time?"

Thats removed his hand from over his tightly closed eyes.

"Oh. Hello, Rune."

The blonde was seated calmly on the sofa they had rescued from someone's bulk-items-trash and lugged back to the dorm room, an open text book in front of him.

Thats glanced around the small room.

"...So Rath's not here?"

"And neither is Cesia," Rune added in with a dash of irritation, debating the merits of strangling his roommate over the notes he accidentally tore when Thats slammed the door open.

"Oh. Good." He dropped his bag on the floor where he stood, carelessly kicked the door closed, and collapsed on the couch, forcing Rune to scoot over to make way for his body.

"Thats," Rune sighed, smoothing down as best he could his already rumpled notes and standing, "I know you want to sleep, but you're going to have to leave. Or at least move."

The other sighed.

"Mmmph," he stretched out to his full length on the protesting sofa, "Why?"

Thats was dully aware of Rune's walking away, going into the cramped bathroom, and heard the sound of cabinets opening and closing.

"Because I have a date with Tintlett," he spoke through the thin walls, only needing to raise his voice slightly, "And, besides, Rath's due to return in a little under two hours."

Thats groaned, cradling his head in his arms.

"Where the hell am I supposed to go?"

He thought he overheard a muttered comment that he "did say he could just pass out in the hallway", but Rune walked out of the bathroom, smoothing down his shirt and gave an innocent shrug.

"I don't know. You could go to the library."

"Too many words. If I have to read another book written for anyone older than ten, I'm going to have a hernia."

"Wait for your next class?"

"Yeah. At seven in the morning. Tomorrow."

"Well, I don't know," Rune almost snapped, crossing his arms. "You could stay here if you wanted to, but I know you don't like to do that."

Thats pushed himself into an upright sitting position, yawning.

"Can't blame me. Would you like to be trying to study or sleep or have dinner with the all-too-pleasant sounds of moaning and rhythmic thrusting in the background?" He pulled a face and stood up. "I'm going to find a place that sells a decent cheap cup of coffee.

Rune sighed, now feeling a twinge of guilt.

"Thats, I'm sorry. I can talk to Rath..."

"Hey, it's okay." Thats cut him off with a wave, "Let him have fun," he grinned, hoisting his bag back onto his shoulders and unlocking the door. "If he comes back before you leave, tell him I say hello, okay? Cesia too."

He closed the door, locking it behind him and leaving Rune watching in vague amusement.

There was another brief struggle between the key and the lock, and the door swung open once more, slower this time.

Rune looked startled; blue eyes concerned.

"Thats...?"

The other stalked by him sheepishly, snatching a wallet off the table.

"...Forgot my money."

:n:

"Which matches better?"

Kitchel was lying on her back, head and arms dangling off the edge of her bed, watching as Tintlett held up first one, then a second blouse to her body.

"Um, the first. It's the same white as the stitching on your skirt."

"Thanks," the rejected top was flung at her as the other girl hurriedly pulled on its chosen rival.

"How do I look?"

"Fantastic," Kitchel said, slightly pleased with herself for not sounding entirely like she had just answer that question fourteen times in the last two hours.

Tintlett smiled at her friend, trying not to laugh at how she hadn't been able to completely hide her bored expression.

"I'm sorry about this, Kitchel."

"Hey, no, it's okay," she rolled over to lie on her stomach, smiling at her friend. "It's not like I needed to be anywhere."

"Yes, but you could have been reviewing."

Kitchel laughed.

"I'd much rather do this than study."

She watched the other girl run a brush quickly over her hair, then pick up a pair of light blue earrings.

"Cesia's not coming back here tonight, right?"

"No. Not after you gave Rath that lecture."

"I just wanted to make sure he knew how very painful childbirth is supposed to be," Kitchel said, mocking an affronted air, "That way he would be extra careful." She paused. "And maybe I also wanted to dissuade him from occasionally using my bed for sex."

Tintlett nodded in vague sympathy, peering carefully at her reflection in the polished mirror hung on the wall.

"I need to set you up with someone."

Kitchel jerked and almost slipped off the bed, completely startled at the sudden change of subject.

"Where did that come from?"

"Where did what?" Tintlett asked, distracted once again, this time by a search for footwear. "Can you check under that bed? I think my sandal might have gotten pushed underneath."

Kitchel obligingly clambered onto the floor, shifting aside a small stack of papers and peering into the murk.

"No, I don't see it... Did you check the bathroom? I think I remember using it as a doorstop."

She sat up, brushing dust off of her tank top, just in time to see Tintlett snatch up the missing sandal and slip it on.

"I'm supposed to meet him in fifteen minutes; I should get going," she said rapidly, "I'll be back later. I'm not sure when," Tintlett was at the door when she stopped suddenly and turned around.

"...You'll be okay?"

Kitchel sweatdropped at her sincere tone.

"Of course I'll be fine," she reassured her friend, "You're sounding like you're my mother. And that mental image is starting to weird me out." She giggled at the thought.

"Go have fun!"

Tintlett nodded, letting herself out and closing the door behind her.

Kitchel shook her head, still laughing slightly to herself.

"Yeesh."

:n:

...For some messed up reason, I seem to be on my own Author Alert's list. :stare: Did this happen to everyone, or did I just do something weird...? n-n;

:n:

I wrote this up in about an hour, after coming up with the idea only a couple hours before that. :shifyeyes: Someone needs to commend me on my fabulously quick job. XD

((And THANKS to Peophin-chan for catching that grammar mistake. XD;;; ))


	2. Tumbling

Disclaimer: Nope, me no own nada:D

Warnings: Language, pointed sexual implications, etc.

A/N: Shoot-ness, I was on a major updating kick when I wrote that:still impressed with self: Ah, well. I think I've calmed down now. XD This chapter is much longer, though. Mainly because I didn't write it in such a short period of time. XD

:n:

Slow breathing floated softly through the darkened room, its only light coming from the street light below the open window. Although there were three beds, each a different state of jumbled sheets and pillows, only one was occupied. Two figures, their close shapes made as one by a quick glance in the poor visibility, lay still.

Green neon numbers on a nearby clock flickered past another minute.

"Tintlett?"

A voice spoke, barely above a whisper in the peaceful dim.

"Mmm?"

"Have you ever considered playing matchmaker?"

Tintlett looked up from her position curled into and pressed against the steadily rising and falling chest of her boyfriend, their hands intertwined.

"Why do you ask?"

Rune blushed slightly, trying to ignore the soft giggle given at the pink tinge creeping up his cheeks.

"I was just wondering. But have you?" He pressed, doing his best to peer down upon the young woman now looking thoughtfully back at him.

"Yes, actually," she answered slowly, taking her time to think through her response. "And you sound like you have as well."

He gave a slow nod, staring distractedly up at the off-white ceiling.

"Yes."

"Really?" She pushed herself up, sheets sliding down to pool around her bare waist. "Who?"

"I'm not sure if you know him," Rune backtracked, carefully looking at her curious face, "Well, not personally. You remember when I introduced you to my roommates?"

Tintlett nodded.

"And I know Rath is dating Cesia. So you mean the other one? ...Thats?"

"It was just an idea," Rune admitted, arching slightly as he stretched his stiff joints under the thin sheets. "I thought of it today. When I was getting ready to go meet you."

He smiled, the act still uncontrollable when speaking of such matters.

"But if I was to pursue the idea... Do you know of anyone you think he might get along with?"

Tintlett giggled, quickly covering her mouth with her hand in order to stifle the noise, although there was no one else present.

"You just reminded me," she explained hurriedly to his questioning look, "Earlier today--"

"Yesterday," he interrupted with a slight grin.

She laughed again, the sound light.

"Yesterday I was talking to my friend about setting her up with someone."

Rune raised an eyebrow, curiosity definitely piqued.

"Really?"

A note of interest sounded louder in his voice now as he pushed himself upwards into a seated position, the bedsprings creaking softly under this shifting movement.

"...Who?"

:n:

A phone rang jarringly in the dark, shock waves spilling out into the once calm black.

"Mmm, Rath..." Cesia shook her purple-dyed hair out of her eyes, yawning. "Grab the phone before someone complains."

"Wha' time s'it?" Rath slurred, rubbing his eyes and rolling off the bed with a thud, standing barefoot on the cold floor.

He padded slowly across the dorm room, tripping once over a book and stumbling into the poster covered wall. The phone rang again, and a muffled banging came through the floor as the previously sleeping students below them expressed their irritation.

"Bastards," Rath muttered irritably in their general direction, groping in the pitch for the still-ringing phone.

"'Lo?"

A female voice, disturbingly chipper at this late-or, really, early-hour answered him.

He nodded, yawning again, and tossed the phone towards Cesia as she flicked on a blindingly-bright lamp on a nearby desk.

"For you. 'S Tintlett."

Rath winced at the light, violet spots dancing momentarily before his eyes as the bulb etched its image into them.

Cesia managed to catch the hurtling phone, and sent a reprimanding look in Rath's direction, before speaking into the mouthpiece, one hand clutching the blanket tightly at her chest.

"What is it?"

Cesia curled her legs under her body, quickly waking up, as Rath took a leap from where he stood across the room to land face down on the loudly complaining bed.

"Mmm," she made a vague noise of recognition, running a hand distractedly through Rath's messy (even more so than usual with the rude awakening) black hair, toying briefly with the dyed-white forelock.

Rath gave a playful growl, the sound muffled by both the mattress and a third rouge yawn. He was waking up quickly with both the noise and bright light, and was beginning to grow bored.

Still listening intently to Tintlett, her voice tinny over the line, Cesia smacked Rath's hand as it crept slowly up her bare leg.

He pouted, but quickly stopped as it became apparent that she wasn't paying him any attention.

"Wait... You say what?"

Something in her tone caught his interest, and Rath found himself straining to make out the faint words.

"Yes. Yes. What?" Cesia laughed, "No. Oh, no. She'll be furious."

Rath sighed, sitting up and crossing his arms.

It looked like this conversation was apt to go on indefinitely.

Just as he was debating getting himself a glass of water, he heard the click of his girlfriend hanging up the phone.

"Rath," she spoke in an all-too-cheery voice, one that made him immediately suspicious of what she wanted him to do, "Tintlett just called to say that she had a great idea."

When he remained silent, albeit obviously apprehensive, Cesia continued, placing the phone next to the lamp and flicking off the annoying light.

"Have you ever considered," she continued, the edge of her voice taking on a distinctly teasing tone, and tugged him down to lie next to her.

Their lips briefly met in a chaste kiss before she finished her sentence.

"...Playing matchmaker?"

:n:

Thanks to everyone for informing me about the carbon copies, by the way. :sweatdrop: It really confused me for a bit, there... :sweatdrop:

:n:

Peophin-chan:shifty eyes: I get on mad kicks at times... XD And I don't know if you've noticed, but I fixed that mistake in the first chapter. Because I don't have a grammar check, and I'll think faster than I type when I get really into it, so I'll make stupid mistakes like that... :sweatdrop: Anyway, thanks!

Hououza: No, no... That made sense. n-n; This is, as stated at the very bottom, a multi-chapter fic. Because SSY was my thing to work on when bored, and I decided I needed something else. n-n;

Harbinger Loki: Pocky and Love delivered! General thanks to you from all. n-n And I'll try not to. XD I probably won't, as I'm going to be gone for a good amount of the rest of the summer, and won't be able to update, anyway. :sweatdrop

Random Rath Fan: Hmm... I needs to get me one of those alerts... XD

Kat:sweatdrop: Slightly ADD. My mind goes all over the place, and it inevitably ends up jumping back to DK, hence all the random plots. :shifty eyes:

:n:

Oh, and before you review(Which I know you will, hinthint.), I thought I'd just explain where I'm going with this. n-n I'm planning on working on this story whenever I get... Well... Bored. Like how I used to work on SSY. XD Each chapter will be pretty short, but there will be a bunch of them. 14, actually, but don't expect them any longer than this one. n-n;

And I'm quite pleased with myself: I know -exactly- how this will end. n-n


	3. Slipping

Disclaimer:insane laughter:

Warnings: Mild swearing. Conspiracies.

:n:

When Kitchel unlocked the door to her shared dorm after class, she was immediatly set upon by her two friends.

"Hey! How are you? Let me take those."

Her books were snatched from her unprotesting fingers, set off to the side on top of a dented microwave.

"What's up, 'Chel? You want something to drink?"

REcently freed hands were presented with a cool glass, a tiny pink umbrulla peeking over its rim as her jacket was stripped off her body and hung over the doorknob.

"Uh..." she gave a slightly nervous grin, "What's going on?"

"Nothing!"

Two guileless beaming faces reassured her, ushering her forward and pressing her into a nearby chair.

Kitchel looked from Tintlett's faintly glazed eyes to Cesia's slightly-too-wide smile and sweatdropped.

"...Are you two on something?"

Cesia made to snap a retort, then caught herself, breathing out the tension in a light sigh.

"No," she motioned for the other to try her drink, now damp with condensation, "We just," Cesia glanced at her blonde friend, "Felt bad for always pushing you out and making you find somewhere else to stay."

Kitchel raised an uncomprehending eyebrow.

"...And?"

And we thought we'd make it up to you!" Tintlett spoke up cheerily.

When this announcment was met with confused silence, Cesia continued, elaborating.

"We think we know of someone who you'd get along with."

Tintlett nodded as Kitchel took an experimental sip of the drink, settling back comfortably against the slightly-worn armchair.

"I think you'd like him."

Her eyes widened in shock.

"You're getting me a slave?"

"No."

"Sort of."

Tintlett and Cesia answered simultaniously, the prior sending a half-disaproving, half-amused glance to the giggling other.

"Actually," Tintlett leaned closer, doing her best to radiate warmth and calm, "I know you're not doing anything this Saturday. How about letting us set you up with a," she paused, not quite sure what to call Thats, and decided upon the more familiar(if less correct) word that came to mind.

"A... Friend of ours?

There was a tense silence in which this unexpected information slowly registered in Kitchel's mind.

Outside in the hallway, Miyabi stumbled and smacked into a wall as her sense of hearing was assulted by a loud shriek.

"What!"

:n:

"I still say this is stupid."

Rune glanced at his sulking friend.

A bleached white forelock dangled down(irritatingly so, Rune thought) over Rath's moody reddish eyes as he glared irreselutly back at him.

"Rath," he tried to explain for the upteenth time that day, "If this works out, it will be for the better for all of us. He'll be happier, there will be less hassle getting him out of the dorm, and," Rune alighted suddenly upon a new reason, "Cesia will be very pleased with you."

"Bull," Rath sighed, still crossing his arms. He did, however, stand.

"Fine. But you're doing all the talking."

"Sure," Rune nodded, relieved. "Just grab the coffee and follow me."

Rath reluctantly picked up the still bubbling pot and walked after the other, leaning against the bathroom door with an obvious air of boredom.

"Thats?" Rune paused in front of the sleeping form on the unmade bed.

"Wake up."

He shook his shoulder gently. "It's three in the afternoon. Rath and I," he contnued when Rath made no obvious attempt to contradict him, "Wanted to ask you a favor."

Thats yawned, slowlu pushing himself up.

"Jeeze. I just got back an hour ago. I wanted to sleep before work. You know, Rune," he glared blearily, "Waking up a guy is not the best way to get him to agree to your scheme."

He snatched the coffee greedily from Rath's outstreched hand, taking a gulp directly from the rim.

"Rath and I wanted to let you know that we're sorry for always making you leave, and we might know a way to make it up to you."

Thats gagged on his mouthful, not taking in a word Rune had said.

"Did you make this?" he demanded, sputtering.

"Um, no..." Rune turned to look at a defensive Rath.

"He said he liked hot sauce!"

Shaking his head and taking the poisoned drink form his coughing friend, Rune continued.

"Since you're not doing anything this Saturday, we've set you up for a date with one of Tintlett's-"

"And one of Cesia's."

"-Friends." Rune concluded, praying that the outburst he was expecting wouldn't be too loud or violent.

"Wait..." Thats shook sleep-mussed brown hair from his face.

Outside in the hallway, Sabel stumbled and smacked into a wall as his sense of hearing was assulted by a loud yell.

"What!"

:n:

Yes... This was written during a long car ride on the mainland(I forget exactly where...), and was typed up during the first day of band camp. :D


	4. Dropping

Disclaimer: YES. YES, I SO TOTALLY own Dragon Knights... :rolls eyes:

Warnings: Minor swearing. Severe immaturity. :sweatdrop:

:n:

"You should wear this."

Kitchel was, once again, lying on her stomach on her bed, watching bemusedly as her two roommates scurried about their tiny dorm.

She was still undressed, wondering how she had let herself be talked into this... And how, for that matter, they had managed to talk her "date" into it.

He must be really desperate, she thought to herself, trying not to laugh as Cesia overturned a pile of books in her rush to find a suitable outfit for her friend.

"Why don't you two let me pick out my clothes?" Kitchel offered, sweatdropping slightly as both Cesia and Tintlett halted in their tracks and gave her a look of horror.

"Because, well... You wouldn't choose something very appropriate, dear," Tintlett said as tactfully as was possible. "It's your first date, and you should look..."

"Sexy," Cesia finished for her friend, holding up a short black top and trying to imagine Kitchel's body in it. "Not casual."

"Sorry for having no fashion sense," Kitchel bit back a giggle as she rolled over onto her back, looking up at the slightly dented ceiling, then continued on a more serious tone. "But this is awkward to begin with. You know I'm doing it to humor you. Can't you at least let me wear my own clothes?"

She finished on a pleading note, biting her lower lip slightly and doing her utmost best to look as though she was about to break down in tears.

Cesia and Tintlett cast each other apprehensive looks, seeming to meet an unspoken agreement between themselves.

"All right," Tintlett closed the drawer she had been in the midst of rooting through, and straightened back up, calm blue eyes smiling.

"But only if you agree to let us dress you for the second date."

The college girl lying on the messy bed blinked at Cesia, arching an eyebrow in confusion.

"You make it sound like there will be a second date," she muttered.

Kitchel shook her head, noting that all she needed to do was agree to their terms and then break them by simply saying later that he wasn't interested.

Forcing herself to appear as though she was giving their suggestion some serious thought, Kitchel blew a mock sigh.

"Oh, fine," she grinned slightly, perking up. "Now will you two stop trashing the place?"

Tintlett laughed, her cheer sealing the presumed deal.

"It's not like it needs our help."

Kitchel stood, shaking out her light hair and pulling some of it off to the side in a loose ponytail once more.

"Right, so this thing's in an hour, right?"

"Fifty-three minutes." She was corrected.

"Got it," she agreed without much thought, snatching her jacket off the doorknob where it still hung and pulling it on over her faded tank top, "I'm off. See you two later."

"Wait," Cesia grabbed her arm, brows knitted. "Where are you going?"

The brown haired girl shrugged.

"Errands. I want to mail a couple letters and I need to get some gas."

Tintlett's eyes widened in alarm as she stepped forward as well, stumbling just short of her two friends as her long blue skirt was snagged by an upside-down heeled sandal.

"What? But then you won't have time to get back here and change!"

Kitchel unlocked their door, stepping out into the hallway.

"Exactly," she winked at the other two over her shoulder, grinning at their equally annoyed and startled expressions. "I'll be back later tonight. Don't wait up!"

Shutting the door in their faces, Kitchel stepped into the elevator staring up at the mirrored ceiling and silently snickering to herself. She then smiled: the act both amused and slightly taunt.

"Man. What a night this'll be."

:n:

"What the hell are you doing?"

The words weren't angry: merely irritated.

Thats sent an annoyed glare over his shoulder to Rune, suddenly reaching out and attempting to snatch his video game back from where it was being held just a little too far out of his grasp.

"Rune! Pause it at least," he complained.

The other ignored this command, speaking over his friend's voice.

"Aren't you supposed to be getting ready?"

"What are you talking about?" Thats finally managed to yank the mechanical device from Rune's hold, glancing at the screen and cursing aloud at the large 'Game Over' that it was reading.

"Damnit." He quickly restarted it.

"Tonight." Rune spoke slowly, "you've got less than half an hour left before you're supposed to meet her. Shouldn't you be taking a shower or something?"

"Rath's in there," Thats jerked his head towards the small bathroom. "And I don't think he'd appreciate my joining him."

"What are you going to wear?" Rune quickly changed tracts.

His friend rolled his eyes, quickly snapping them back down to the video game in his hands.

"I dunno. Clothes."

Rune stared at him, narrowed eyes and crossing arms clearly showing he did not find the joke amusing.

"You've been wearing that all day. You should change."

Thats sighed, the noise a miniature jagged explosion of air.

"Fine. I'll put on another damn shirt."

He stood, walking the short distance to his bed and yanked off his shirt, snatching up another one from the pile of washed laundry by its foot.

"Ya happy?"

The words were muffled by the brown material as Thats pulled it over his head.

"Not really," Rune said with a light sigh. "But it's better than nothing."

He watched as his friend patted his pockets, checking for his wallet and keys.

"Jeeze, Rune," he muttered to himself as Rath stepped out of the bathroom shirtless and hastily drying off his hair. "This girl better be willing to go dutch. You got it straight that you're to never do this again?"

"Told you he wouldn't like it," Rath said under his breath as he brushed past the blonde.

Rune grinned nervously, trying to psychically soothe his friend's metaphorical rumpled feathers as he walked past as well, pausing as he opened the door.

"You two owe me."

"What?" Rath asked, now fully dressed and digging on the messy desk for a pen, "we've got you a date with some girl."

"Yeah," Thats gave a halfhearted smirk, "and you know how pathetic that is?"

:n:

Kat: Well, of course when he wasn't dead. I don't think Ruwalk's really into that sort of thing... :not making comment on Sabel: And Miyabi is perfect for him. In OUR minds. Because, well... She kinda isn't in the series. :pats Sabel and Miyabi on heads:

Hououza: Hmm, I suppose so. And many thanks as always for the wishes and luck!

Bananaluvie-rc: Hehe... I assume you meant "updating"? No worries: I will.

Periodot-chan: Ouch, that sucks about the keyboard. x-X; And band geek:high fives: Yeah! Oh, those band stories...

Go-ruden Kiba: Hah, but now you have your own e-mail, so it's all good. n-n RxC? Other dorm room. A better question would be where the two refugees had to ship off to... :no clue: My guess is Lemure's.

Unamed: Grack. Yes. I know that. -.-; As it gets pointed out to me at least once every fic. Thanks for telling me, though. n-n;;

Kagome Sengoku: Yeah, I figured out that chapter thing. But I never got around to changing it. Ah, well...


	5. Crashing

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Knights! I'm also trying to remember how to say "wet" in Spanish... By the time I finally get this posted, I should've remembered. :sweatdrop:

Warnings: ...Minor swearing? Rolling of plot.

A/N: This took a long time. :dizzy: But, on the plus side, it's also really long. XD Hope that makes up for it.

:n:

The glass door opened, bells tied to the handle ringing brightly. Their noise caught Thats' attention, and he looked up from the menu he had been studying without much interest. A female student about his age was walking into the bar, shaking her light brown hair out of her face and yanking off her jacket.

"Finally," Thats remarked as she strolled over to where he was seated, "it took you damn long enough."

Kitchel rolled her eyes, dropping down onto the slim chair next to the table, her voice laden with sarcasm.

"What a polite way to greet your date. Don't bother introducing yourself, just swear at me. You know, that'll really win you bonus points."

Thats deadpanned.

"Come on. We both know we're only here to get our overly-involved friends to shut up."

Kitchel sent him a brief hardened stare and looked up at the ceiling, eyes tracing the pattern of interlocking beams.

"Fine."

She glanced around the interior of the building, seeking for someone she knew in this familiar setting and not certain at all if she truly wanted to find them or not. While it would provide welcome relief from what promised to be a painfully dull few hours, it would also be, if she was not able to explain herself quickly enough, the catalyst needed for a series of unpleasantly embarrassing assumptions.

This circular chain of thought in mind, she was startled by the obnoxious jangle of her cell, and jumped as the faux-tropical melody tugged for her attention.

Yanking it from the pocket of her shorts, Kitchel glanced at the florescent screen and rolled her eyes.

"They don't believe I'm actually here," she muttered and tossed the phone across the small table. "Could you answer that for me?" She smiled cheerfully. "Thanks."

Startled, Thats flipped it open, cradling it to his face.

"Hello?"

There was a pause before a burst of female giggles rang down the line, causing him to arch an eyebrow in bemusement.

"Yes. No, she's over there," he continued as they calmed down and began to speak. "What?" Thats snickered, barely managing to muffle the noise behind his fist.

"No, I'm not 'some random guy off the street'. ...Slave?" He blinked across the table as Kitchel tried her best to appear innocent. "Wait, wha--" He was cut off by the sudden ringing of his own phone. "...Jeeze. Call her back later."

Hanging up quickly, he shoved both her cell and his at her across the wooden table.

"Your turn."

Smoothly picking his up, Kitchel spoke bubbily into the mouthpiece. "You're late, you know. Cesia and Tintlett already called."

There was a startled silence, then a muffled apology and the level buzz of a now-vacated line.

She laughed at their response, handing his phone to him, then leaned back in her chair, tipping its front legs off the ground.

"So how long do we gotta stay here?"

He shrugged, sliding a little lower in his seat.

"However long a date takes. Cripes. I'm bored."

"Same," she sighed. "Right. This bites. You think we could just leave and make like we didn't?"

Thats shook his head, slouching further down dejectedly in his chair. "No. They're going to tail us. We both know that. Stupid..."

The rest of his line was cut short as she jumped up, eager to pursue this prospect of entertainment. "That's right! Oh, this will be fun! How do you think they're going to get here? Catch a ride, right? Rune has a car, doesn't he? He must; he gave me a lift back to the dorm once." She laughed maniacly, clasping her hands together and catching sight of the completely dazed expression on his face.

"We wait for them to get here," she started patiently, although he was irked by the way she was careful to fully enunciate each syllable of her speech as though he was a small child. "Then we leave on our 'date'."

"And take care to lose them," he grinned broadly, straightening up. "That would be fun."

"There's a carnival hosted by that park uptown," Kitchel commented, "it would be easy to slip away in those crowds."

"Completely innocent, too," he continued. "It's a perfectly normal place for a date."

"It's decided then," she dropped lightly back down into her chair. "Now we just gotta wait 'til they show up."

"Won't be long," he said, equally cheerful at this amusing prospect. "This place is close to the dorms."

:n:

"Hurry, hurry!"

"Wait," Cesia gasped, struggling to kick on her second shoe while groping under her bed for her phone. "It's here somewhere... I knocked it under by mistake-- Here!" She scrambled upright, smoothing down her long black skirt and leapt over the stack of discarded textbooks, promptly wrinkling it once more.

"They here already?" She asked, stepping through the front door as Tintlett locked it behind her.

"Yes," Tintlett hastily explained, "down in the parking lot. Let's hurry. I want to see this!" She paused in the hallway, letting her friend slide past her and laughed, blue eyes parading her schoolgirl enthusiasm.

Sliding into the elevator, Cesia let the doors close behind them before she continued. "I hope this works. The hard part is done! Now we just need to…"

"Have them see the logic to our plan," Tintlett finished for her with a decisive grin. "I know. It's perfect."

The elevator opened onto the wide entrance hall of the dormitory and Cesia and Tintlett stepped out of it, quickly sighting Rune standing right outside the large glass doors.

Tintlett waved cheerfully as they hurried over, calling, "great! Let's hurry."

"Don't you think they'll see us?" Rath, a few paces behind Rune, asked as he pulled Cesia to him, kissing her lightly on the cheek.

"It's a chance we'll have to take," Cesia informed him, sliding closer to his side in the quickly cooling late afternoon air. "We need to see this."

Tintlett nodded. "They probably know we're coming. This way they won't just pretend to meet."

Looking around the small group of conspirators, Rune felt a sudden twinge of nerves. "Well," he slid his hand into the pocket of his jeans, feeling the cold metal of his keys. "Let's do this."

Rath dipped his head, a half-exasperated half-amused sigh escaping his lips.

"Right."

:n:

"Look out the window. I think that was Rune's car."

Thats glanced up nonchalantly, taking a casual sip from the complementary glass of water in front of him.

"…Yeah. That's them."

Kitchel nodded, resisting the urge to turn around and look out the glass paneled wall behind her herself. "Okay. Ready?"

"No," he shook his head, "wait a moment. They're feeding the meter. It looks like they were planning on waiting at that café across the street. We'll leave after they finish paying for the space. Let them lose some spare change."

Kitchel crossed her arms on the table, tapping her foot impatiently. "…Now?"

"Jeeze." He glanced briefly at her, "chill."

Stealing a look up again, Thats continued. "Yeah. In about ten seconds. They know we're here, too. I just caught Rath looking at us. I don't think he knew I was watching, though," he added before she could berate him for the slip.

Standing a moment after he finished talking, Thats began to make his way casually towards the door. "C'mon. Let's go."

"Hey," Kitchel called after him, a note of irritation to her voice, "aren't you going to get my chair?"

He turned to face her, the words taking a moment to register.

"What? No. Look," he rolled green eyes, "just because I'm here doesn't mean I want to be. This is about the last thing I'd like to be doing tonight."

Scowling at him, she pushed her chair back herself, brushing past him with an air of annoyance. "I meant that it would be helpful to throw them off. It's the sort of thing you're supposed to do, you know."

"I'm sorry," he said flatly, letting her walk out in front of him into the still-strong sunlight outside. "I'm surprised you were willing to go outside without me getting the door for you as well."

Frustrated at being continually misinterpreted, Kitchel was about to snap a retort, when a shiver of movement at the edge of her peripheral vision alerted her to the fact that the others were still watching intently.

Instead she took a deep breath and let her lips slide into a suddenly buoyant smile, so surprising the other student that it took him a moment to realize what she was saying.

"Try to remember that this wasn't my idea either. In fact, if I'd had my way, you would still be just 'that roommate I hear occasional idiotic stories about', not my wannabe romantic interest. If we can pull this off properly, we can lose them in less than an hour and, hopefully, get them to stop this stupid charade before it goes any further."

Thats bristled, following her out of sight into the parking lot around the corner of the restaurant. "'Try to remember?' Listen, I don't know who shoved the wide end of the stick up your ass, but don't act so goddamned full of yourself! I've heard some less than angelic things about you, too. At least I didn't have to flirt my way into my classes."

Pulling the key to her car out of her pocket, Kitchel jammed it into its lock and yanked it to the side, a bright crimson spreading over her face at his accusation. "Like hell I did! Which one of them told you that? I went to talk to the professor, not hit on him!"

"From what I hear, your mouth was too busy with other things to be doing much talking."

Kitchel was silent for a moment before turning around with a dangerous glint to her eyes, yanking the door open violently.

"Shut up," she hissed. "At least I didn't spend my last night out drunk and sobbing to anything vaguely bipedal that would sit still long enough to listen."

Thats flushed red as well at her statement, hackles rising with the comment.

"And you actually believed them?" He stepped into the car, continuing as she dropped moodily onto the driver's seat. "I was bitching, not crying. Rath exaggerates things."

"Funny," Kitchel started up the engine, "as it was Rune who told me."

"Well, he lied," Thats faltered, quickly regaining his ground. "Like he's one to talk, anyway. He's so whipped, I've seen him leave the building at three in the morning to go buy his girlfriend pads."

Kitchel snickered at this in spite of herself, hastily pulling her affronted air back about her and skidding out of the parking lot.

"That's just being considerate, although I don't suppose you know anything about…" her words were cut off by a whoop of laughter as they sped past the café, their friends abandoning all pretense of secrecy as they did so, abandoning their seats as if lit on fire.

Her laughter was sudden and catching in its hysteria, and Thats let loose a grin and snicker as well.

"Did you see that?" She asked, all irritation fading in the rush of wind through the open windows. "That was great! Did you see their expressions?"

"Yeah," he responded, craning around on the leather seat to watch them scramble to give chase. "Rune knocked over his water. It's spilled all over his shirt." He laughed louder, letting the noise chip away some of the tension, though he offered no apology.

None was forthcoming from her side, either, as she kept to the quickly morphing topic.

"Awesome," she giggled, then added, "Okay, they're in the car again. See them? Four cars behind us and," she let out a low hiss of approval as they slid through the tail end of a yellow light, "now stuck at the red! We've got a good head start. Just gotta be careful not to loose them."

"They'll call us if they get too lost," Thats reasoned, leaning back once more. "This won't be so bad. It shouldn't take us more than forty-five minutes at the carnival before ditching them."

"We can be back a little after six." Kitchel smiled at this though. "Payback for all the times they made us wander around while they were cozy at the dorm."

Thats stretched out his legs, sliding the seat further back. "Yeah," he brushed his foot over the thin layer of sand on the floor, grinning out the window to catch naught a fleeting image of their pursuers in the rearview mirror. "Revenge at last."

:n:

"I think they took a right up ahead," Tintlett pointed from her front passenger seat. "I thought I saw the blinker go on."

"So did I," Cesia nodded, leaning forward to slip her head between Rune and Tintlett's, her hand still tightly clasping Rath's. "Hey, isn't there supposed to be a carnival down that way this weekend?"

"That's right!" Tintlett exclaimed, balling her hands and holding them before her white jacket. "It makes sense they would go there, then."

"On their first 'date'?" Rath asked, skeptical. "I'm not sure. I thought they would have just stayed at the restaurant for about an hour and then left early."

Cesia shrugged, sitting back properly once more. "So did I, to tell you the truth. This startled me."

"It's definitely where they went, though," Rune nodded to the large park grounds directly ahead, spinning rides and writhing stands covering most of the land. "There's only one way in, so if they'd turned around, we would have seen them. All the same," he turned smoothly into the parking lot, "we should find where they parked their car and check that they aren't just waiting inside for us to start looking for them and then leave."

There was a general nod of agreement, and four sets of eyes trained themselves in various directions, scouring the rows of cars for a single familiar gray one.

"There," Tintlett said, tugging softly at Rune's sleeve. He pulled into an empty space near it, glancing briefly inside through the now-closed windows to confirm its lack of occupants.

"Should one of us stay here?" Rath asked as they all piled out of the vehicle.

"Maybe," Rune responded, "but it would be faster for us to split up once we get inside, and I don't think we should look for them individually.

As maybe, just maybe, we'll stumble across something we really don't want to bear witness to, he added silently, knowing full well that Rath had been suggesting his own remaining behind and that this would end with Rune as the odd man out while the two girls partnered together.

Somethings, including the mere possibility of accidentally spotting your roommate in an act intended for Mature Audiences Only, deserved to be seen with someone else for protection. You'd be less likely to spasm as your eyes burned out.

Not that he actually thought that would happen. Still… It was worth being prepared for.

:n:

"Do you see them?"

"In this crowd?" Thats snorted, "you kidding me? I'm almost positive they've followed us here, but I'd feel safer if we could see them -all of them- before we leave."

"Oh!" Kitchel's eyes lit up, a smile jumping to her face. "Here, I've got five bucks. Let's just get on the Farris Wheel. We should be able to spot them from up there."

"Wait, what—" Thats was jerked through the seething throngs to slide into line for the towering ride.

"Hurry up," Kitchel complained, both to her companion and to the line itself, snatching the sudden opportunity to push them both to the very front as the crowd grew even thicker for a moment and the line was scrambled.

"Sorry kid," Thats grinned with a shrug as the two of them were ushered on to the waiting bench, cutting off the younger boy behind them.

"Just in time," Kitchel whispered as the ride shuddered and jerked them from the ground in a long low circle. "Look who just showed up."

Thats twisted in the barred seat to see Tintlett and Cesia emerge from the swirling masses.

"I recognized Tintlett's jacket," Kitchel pointed, leaning over him to do so and causing him to flatten back against the seat. "See? It's white, with that little blue design on the sleeve. And Cesia's hair stands out, too."

Thats nodded vaguely, waiting patiently for her to straighten back up so he could sit more comfortably. He might not be the most chivalrous, but even he knew better than to accidentally brush against her chest. Especially after the sort of "date" they'd already been having.

He rolled his eyes as she settled back down.

Finally.

"Do you see Rune or Rath anywhere?"

"No," Kitchel drew her brows together in close concentration as she scanned the grounds on either side of them. "I thought they'd all be together. Damnit," she swore, "it's getting dark, too."

"At least the lights are coming on."

"Yeah." She laughed suddenly, the sound equally bemused and anxious. "Oh my god." Grinning nervously, she shook her head, one hand resting over her eyes.

"…What?"

"It'll be so easy for them to find us up here. Once they do that, they'll have an easy time trailing us. We'll never be able to leave!"

Thats deadpanned. "And you're thinking of this now? Nice going!"

He noticed he didn't have her full concentration as he was speaking, this fact irking him further than her lack of forward planning. About to snap a further complaint, Thats was startled by her sudden change of outlook.

"Wait, this is good!" Kitchel sat up straighter. "If they do see us, then they'll know that we're here. They'll spend more time looking for us later! Great," she laughed, the sound this time buoyant. "Now just to find Rath and Rune."

Thats shook his head, staring at her dumbfounded.

_Jeeze. What a trip._

He turned his attention back to the ground, but was unable to pick out any familiar faces in the mass of people now a good thirty feet below. Kitchel, fortunately, did not seem to have the same problem, as it wasn't long before Thats felt a tug at the sleeve of his shirt accompanied by an excited cry.

"There! There, see them? Down there?"

Staring into the quickly moving shadowed throng, Thats decided to take her word for it.

"…Um… Yeah. I see them."

:n:

"I didn't."

Cesia shook her head with a tired sigh, glancing at the two young men before her. "Did either of you?"

"No," Rune crossed his arms as Rath stepped closer to Cesia with a brief jerk of the head.

"Tintlett thought she spotted them up on the Farris Wheel," Cesia continued, "but by the time we got there, they were gone."

"Ah," Rune moaned, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Why don't we just...!"

"What is it?" Tintlett asked, looking up at him with a confused smile.

"…Nothing." Rune shook his head, attempting to clear his eyes from weariness, still staring into the thick crowds. "Nevermind."

:n:

"That was close," Kitchel giggled breathily onto the night air, hastily pulling her keys out of her pocket, "they almost saw us. Good thinking about hiding behind that ticket guy."

Thats grinned as well. "Give him some of the credit. It wouldn't have worked if he wasn't so big."

She laughed again, letting him into the car.

"Good point. But we got away," she crowed, "and they're still here."

"Yeah." He let the word slip out in tranquil bliss, crossing his arms behind his head and closing his eyes as he tipped the passenger seat back to further relax. "Hey," he continued as they left the parking lot behind, "sorry you got pulled into this."

"No problem," Kitchel winked, "it was sorta a compliment, ya know? At least they think I'm pretty enough to tempt you back from the darkside of no love life."

Thats opened his eyes, a wry look tugging at his features. "Oh, really? And what sort of love life do you have, then?"

"You seem to have heard plenty about it."

Her voice was moody and he blinked his eyes open fully in confusion, not immediately recalling any reason behind her chill response.

"Wait—"

"We're here." Kitchel turned to face him, her trademark teasing grin drawing on her lips once more. "Your stop."

"Oh, yeah," Thats opened his door slowly, getting out onto the murky street beside his dorm. "Hey…"

"What?"

Her expression was innocent, a hint of a smile still gracing her mouth.

Thats shook his head, knocking off any guilt he might have felt.

Not that there was any, he added. He had just been confused.

"Goodnight."

"Yeah," she laughed suddenly, pulling away into the dark. "You too."

:n:

The thing that really annoyed me about this? I totally lost the middle third of it. -o-; It didn't save properly and then the spare got deleted… e-e;

:n:

Hououza: I'm not sure. Was this hitting it off? XD;

Peridot-chan: Hah, the long awaited Date. :evil laughter: I'm not sure it was what you had in mind, but it was what you said you wanted… Kinda. And Band Campheart.

Ojosnegro: …Your name now tends to remind me of a little black kitten. XD;

Bananaluvie-rc: Ah, s'all good. I got what you meant. n-n

Mirdemon: Thanks. O

Hotarunokoishi: It'll be mostly just these six. Others may make cameo appearances (like Miyabi and Sabel did), but they won't have any real part to play in here. But, hey! I thought I was the only one who asked questions like that! XD;

:n:

**Good things come** to those who review.


	6. Plunging

Disclaimer: If I owned Dragon Knights, I'd be slapped silly for my irregular updating of the series. Good thing I don't.

Warnings: Swearing, mentions of sex, mentions of a lack thereof.

:n:

Cesia was fuming.

"She just came back here. From what I can tell, she wrote a paper, accidentally set the television into Spanish, and then went to bed. Nothing. Nothing!"

Rune sighed into the receiver, cradling the phone between his shoulder and ear as he finished buttoning up his shirt, the white material almost glowing against the messy room.

"Thats' reaction doesn't seem to have been much better." He looked across the cramped dorm to where his friend's figure was hidden under a thick gray blanket and assorted bits of Rath's laundry. "Perhaps we should give it up."

"Not yet," Cesia frowned, looking up at the cheap purple clock nailed next to their main door. "Tintlett and I were talking last night after we got back, and we think we have it figured out."

'Talking' was stretching the definition some. They had finally returned at one in the morning and neither had been pleased to discover they had apparently been long beaten by Kitchel's solo return. Some complaints later and they had decided (rather more willingly than they would have otherwise been) to give it another shot.

Rune winced, partially in expectation of the next phase of the makeshift plan and partially in sympathy as Rath stumbled blearily out of the bathroom and collapsed back onto his mattress in a fit of coughing.

"How so?"

"We need to get them to think that by at least pretending to hook up, they'll be spiting us. Obviously they're not keen on the idea because they're being pushed into it and are just doing it as a favor. If we get them to think we've reversed the tables, they might actually have a shot at hitting it off."

"That makes sense," Rune agreed, settling down onto the worn sofa. "But how are we going to do that?"

"We don't know yet," Cesia admitted, pacing across the empty room. "Tintlett had a couple half-thought out ideas, but she wanted to sleep on it, and she's not here at the moment."

"What sort of," his eyes widened as a yawn and creak of bedsprings alerted him to Thats' conscious presence, "...things was she going to cook for dinner?" Rune's voice rose noticeably both in volume and pitch, a guilty waver forming at the edges of the words.

Thats, however, didn't notice, a sign Rune took to be lucky.

"What time is it?" He asked instead, scratching the back of his head and shaking a spare sock from his arm. "And why's all of Rath's shit on my bed?"

"Laundry." Rune stated. "There was already stuff on the couch."

Thats shrugged, accepting the explanation with a second yawn. "So what time is it?"

"Almost ten," Rune turned impatiently to his roommate, "Look, Thats, I'm on the phone..."

"Wait a minute, Rune, this is good," Cesia exclaimed. "We can use this to our advantage. Now that he's listening in, just make sure you get him to think we don't want him to date Kitchel in the first place. Play to his pride, or something."

"But why do we want him to..." he caught himself, reddening nervously. "W-want him to bring the salad!"

Thats glanced at him, one eyebrow cocked, but Rune studiously avoided his gaze, watching the rough wooden counter separating him from his brown haired roommate and their crude kitchen.

It took Cesia a moment to realize why the other was speaking so strangely, during which time the metallic tap of a key in the lock of her dorm room was audible.

She turned to the door, informing Rune through a bravely muffled giggle that Tintlett was back.

"And Kitch..." Cesia changed her wording without losing a beat (although, she later confided to Tintlett, several years off her life) as her other, less expected, roommate walked in, "--en work will be good for him."

Rune blinked, almost turning his head to stare at the phone.

"...Excuse me?"

"Kitchen work," Cesia explained, a bit more impatiently, as the 'work' was waiting cheerfully for her to get off the phone. "Hello, Kitchel," she added for his benefit.

"Oh," Rune nodded as the code became suddenly clear, "yes, it would be. But how do I get him to see that?"

"I don't know. But I'll tell Tintlett you wanted to speak with her when she gets back."

Rune laughed dryly. "Thank you." He still wasn't certain how a simple phone call to ask what time his girlfriend wanted to meet evolved into a complex strategic conference.

"Who's that?" Thats asked, pouring a glass of milk. He was relived to see they actually had a carton that wasn't due to expire within the next five minutes or already hardening into a glue-like substance.

"Cesia," Rune explained, watching as his friend rolled his eyes through a long drink.

"Great. Calling to set me up for another evening from hell? Rune, I told you, I've got enough to do. Besides, I can find a girlfriend on my own—"

"No, that wasn't it!" Rune cut him off quickly, forcing himself not to shrink back as Thats eyed him suspiciously. "Actually, we were just saying that maybe we were out of line in making you go through with it."

"Really?" His voice was still untrusting, cautious. If it could take corporal form, it would be a small creature edged into what it couldn't prove to be a trap but that smelled all too strongly of blood and human sweat. His eyebrows raised in disbelief.

"Really." Rune smiled, managing barely to pull off a disarming one, although with much less ease than either of his two roommates. "Well, I originally called for Tintlett, but as she's out at the moment, Cesia and I started talking."

On the other end of the line, Cesia took the opportunity to ease Kitchel into a less excited state.

"I'm on hold," she said, leaving the phone by her ear. "So what did you want to tell me?"

Kitchel grinned smugly. "I got a job."

"Really? Where?"

"Remember where you had us meet last night?" She made a quick distasteful face as if the memory still burned her tongue, "well, I got hired there. The pay's not the best, but it's better than most and I get a discount on food and drink."

"That's great," Cesia said, meaning the words even as she kept a close ear on the faint conversation drifting through the receiver. "When do you start?"

"Later tonight," Kitchel laughed, "so if you want to have Rath over, that's a good time. For once."

"Actually, I was going to go over there in a few minutes," she said, nodding to where her bag already hung around the arm of the worn sofa. "Rath's sick and he can be such a baby…"

"He's asleep again, so you don't have to hurry," Rune added quickly into the phone, startling Cesia on the other line.

"Wait, why is he asleep?" Thats asked, noticing for the first time that Rath was still in the room. "I thought he was with Cesia."

Rune shrugged, glancing briefly at the one occupied bed. "He got sick last night."

This dual conversation was beginning to confuse him.

"…Oh." Thats shook off his momentary guilt over trapping the others into a wild goose chase until, as far as he had been able to tell, the early hours of the morning and changed the subject back to the previous one. "So you were saying?"

Rune nodded, quickly picking up his train of thought. "After all, it's not like she's a good match for you. I mean… she's…"

"Outgoing." Cesia suggested, turning away from Kitchel to pace across the floor again. "Buoyant."

"Outgoing, buoyant," Rune repeated, grateful for the help.

Thats rolled his eyes, crossing his arms defensively. "Stubborn. Tactless."

"Self-reliant…" Cesia floundered for another adjective.

"What are you doing?" Kitchel asked, blankly confused.

"Rune's writing a poem about Tintlett," Cesia quickly lied, mentally gritting her teeth at how common this practice was becoming. "And he needs words that describe her."

"Oh, I see. Does he have beautiful yet?"

She was close enough to the other that her voice clearly carried down the line and Rune continued without thinking.

"Beautiful."

"Hey!" Thats glared, momentarily flustered. "Are you saying I can't get a hot date?"

Cesia snickered as Rune, equally confused, tried to defend himself.

"Oh, he's got it now. Thanks. Good job," she added to Rune.

"I'm not saying that," Rune cried, ignoring Cesia and backtracking desperately, "j-just that… uh… she's more popular than you and now that we look back on it, we really can't see how you two would get along in the first place!"

"Hey!" Thats bristled again, starting to burn red.

Leaving them to their argument, Cesia put the phone down on the rough wooden counter, turning to face her friend. "Tintlett should be back any time now. Are you going to be here?" When Kitchel nodded, she continued. "Good. When she gets here, let her in. I still have her key. I'm going to the boys' now," she snatched up her bag, speaking into the phone above the now sullen silence on the other end.

"How's it going, Rune?"

He winced, rubbing his temples as their front door slammed, a dull muttering receding down the hallway.

"One down, one to go."

:n:

Tintlett shook her head, light blonde hair bouncing in its soft ponytail behind her as she stepped out of the elevator.

Beginning to undo the buttons of her light pink jacket, she glanced at the small phone held to her ear, biting her lip nervously in response to the words it carried.

"I hear what you're saying, but how am I supposed to do that?"

"I don't know." A quarter mile away Cesia sighed into the dirty white receiver of the landline between Rath's bed and the quasi-kitchen. "Rune managed to convince Thats by making him believe we didn't think he'd be able to get a proper date with her on his own. Why don't you try something similar? She's got pride, too."

"About winning or getting what she wants," Tintlett pointed out, blue eyes worried. "But I don't think this is what she wants and I'm not good at manipulating people."

"You do it to Rune all the time!"

Tintlett blushed, her hand jerking back from rapping on the whitewashed door. "I—I do not!"

A clearly skeptical silence greeted her words and she knocked, speaking as she did so.

"Well, not on purpose."

"Sure." Cesia snatched up a stool and sat down on it, switching the phone to her other ear. It was cordless and she didn't have to be staying so near to its cradle, but where else was there to go? Rune was studying on the couch and had hinted that he would like it if he weren't disturbed. The kitchen was still messy with the remnants of the previous night's three o'clock dinner and this morning's brunch. She didn't want to move closer to Rath because he had just fallen asleep again after Thats' noisy exit woke him up and she was rather enjoying her small sliver of peace. Cesia rolled her eyes, privately glad for the break of playing nursemaid.

The only place left to sit was in the midst of it all, unless she camped out in the bathroom.

"Ahh," Rune exhaled loudly, dropping his fist onto the table in frustration over the sheets of paper before him. "Damn it!"

The noise was sufficient to wake the lightly sleeping Rath who rolled over in a jumble of insults and coughing.

Cesia flinched.

The bathroom was beginning to look more appealing.

"What happened?" Tintlett asked as the general chaos grew in volume and filtered down her line. She gave a brief smile and nod to Kitchel as the other girl held open the door and walked in, settling herself down on the edge of her bed.

As Cesia explained, Kitchel picked the television remote up once more, futilely continuing her attempts to change the language back to one they could all understand.

"This would be easier if the options menu wasn't in Spanish as well," she sighed, almost as amused as she was irritated. "Hey," she turned her attention from the rapidly speaking screen to Tintlett, "are you and Rune going to be doing anything tonight?"

Tintlett shook her head, still distracted by Cesia's voice.

"Really? Man, the one time I'm not planning on being here, neither you nor Cesia has a hot date arranged."

"What about two weeks ago when you went to that party?" Tintlett asked, the occasion standing out vividly in her mind.

"Oh," Kitchel scoffed, "that doesn't count. You four were there, too. For some of it, at least." She laughed behind her hand and Tintlett was forced to giggle as well. "I can't believe you still won't tell me how you ended up on the warehouse... Not that I really need the whole scenario spelled out for me."

"I'd prefer to keep some dignity," Tintlett smiled, holding back a blush and second laugh as she flipped her cell shut. "But that reminds me, Kitchel. You two certainly pulled your own vanishing act last night."

She rolled her eyes, arms crossing over her chest. "We were bored and figured that since we had to spend time together, we might as well do something almost fun."

Tintlett pulled her legs up beneath her, the tight denim of her jeans standing out sharply against the light bedspread. "There's no need to be defensive," her smile was nervous and she tucked her light hair out of her face before continuing, blue eyes tracing along the folds in the sheet beneath her.

"There's not going to be a second date anyway."

Tintlett looked up, startled at this sudden shift in the game. Kitchel didn't see her surprise, she noticed, as she was looking blankly back at the television, focusing on ignoring the sure-to-come pleading. Instead, however, Tintlett kept silent, watching curiously.

"...Wait, aren't you going to try to talk me out of it?" Kitchel turned to look at her friend over her shoulder, still standing between the sofa and the bed.

Tintlett blinked, clear blue eyes wide.

"Why would I do that?"

"I don't know," Kitchel shrugged, confusion making her irritable, "because I promised. So that you and Cesia could play dress up."

_I forgot about that..._ Tintlett shook her head, a bemused smile toying with her mouth.

"Don't worry about that. We'll have plenty of other opportunities." As Kitchel bit her lip, toying with her bangs, a thought flickered into light behind Tintlett's eyes.

_Maybe...? Could it be that she wanted to be talked into it...? _

"Kitchel?" She questioned softly. "Are you sure that's it?"

"Well," the other girl began to speak, then hesitated, considering. "I suppose you can have your fun later. There's a party going on every weekend. How about you two use me as your doll next time we go? Then I won't be breaking my promise to you." She beamed, the matter apparently settled in her mind.

Tintlett, however, had the fleeting mental image of a smaller version of herself doing a faceplant.

_...Or maybe not._

"Yes," she allowed with a forced smile, "that would work."

"Great," Kitchel picked up the discarded remote and punched a few more buttons without much hope that anything would change.

Tintlett shook her head now that she was being ignored again and the full realization of what had just happened settled in. It had been her 'job' to make sure there would be a second date at the least, and she had just accidentally agreed there was no need for one.

"Look, Kitchel," she started, reaching out to touch the other girl's shoulder.

"Ten-thirty!" Kitchel yelped, moving quickly out of her friend's startled reach. "Sorry, Tintlett, we can talk later. I'm supposed to be turning in some paperwork now." Grabbing her jacket she headed for the door, pausing only briefly to rub at the streak of dirt across its faded beige material. "Man, remind me to toss this in the next load of laundry we do, okay? Gotta run!"

She darted out of the apartment, the door slowly closing behind her, leaving Tintlett stunned and confused with one hand still partially outstretched.

Sighing dully to the empty air, she picked up her phone once more.

"Hello?" Cesia's greeting filtered into the room, its sound and the hectic noises that accompanied it serving to fill the space. It was a job perhaps too well done, as Tintlett paused to lower the volume of the speakers before continuing. Its jar was making her claustrophobic.

She shook her head, almost tempted to laugh at her defeat.

"One down, none to go."

:n:

Hououza: Sounds like you've had some interesting experiences. x-x But thanks as always for the GL&BWs. n-n

xxDKGurlxx: Are you a super queen of the flying squirrels? Or are you a super and flying squirrel queen? XD;

Azure-chan: …Your name even matches your obsession with Rune… Um… Was this enough yet? Or maybe it was more about Cesia than him, anyway. XD;

Peridot-chan: Hehe. Denial is a fun word, isn't it? I'm too lazy to type, too. :sweatdrop: Short messages, unite:punches fist into the air:

Yume-chan: …Gahhhhhh! So. Many. Chans:sweatdrop: But, um, yes! Carnivals!

Ellabel:heart: I thought you'd never ask. :heart: XDD; Hey, and do you know if the story about Gar-chan (his name just needs the "-chan"…) and the three bears got pulled? I was looking for it the other day, and it doesn't seem to be here anymore… T-T


End file.
